20 Sports Documentaries You Must See Before You Die

9. When We Were Kings

For those of us who weren't able to watch Muhammad Ali compete during his prime, the best way to see the boxing and sports icon do his things inside the boxing was by watching documentaries. Not only were people able to see him show off the skills that made him a hero of so many, they also got to hear firsthand accounts from people who were alive during the event.

There have been a fair few Ali documentaries over the years, but When We Were Kings is quite easily the best out of all of them. Despite lasting just under 90 minutes, the film uses every second to share incredible footage of the battle between Ali and George Foreman in Zaire and it's an extremely captivating watch.

This was the birth of Ali's famous rope-a-dope style, using the ropes and his own toughness to wear our Foreman and eventually beat him for the heavyweight title. However, there's so much more to this documentary than that.

From the incredible music played by the likes of James Brown and B.B King to the social, economic and political problems that came with putting a fight on in a country with a cruel dictator, there are a number of incredible layers to When We Were Kings that makes it a must-see for all combat sports fans.

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Co-host of The Ill-Informed Podcast, jiu-jitsu fiend, MMA lover, movie fan, anime nerd, music snob.